Apparatus for punching stereotype-plates



D. B. RAY. MACHINE FOR, STERBOTYPING PLATES FOR PRINTING. No 24.662. Patented July6, 1859.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

D. B. RAY, OF GALENA, ILLINOIS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 24,662, dated July 5, 1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, D. B. RAY, of Galena,

. in the county of'Jo Daviess and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Machine for stereotyping Plates for Printing Purposes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, of which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the machine with four stamps arranged ready for operation and the several parts in their relative position thereto. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken through the centerof the machine, as indicated by red lines, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the stamps or dies detached from the machine. 'Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a pivoted clamp and bed for holding the line of metal during the operation of forming the type.

The nature of my invention consists in arranging a number of movable bars upon a frame composed of two concentric semicircu lar plates in such manner that they will all point to a. common center, and when pressed upon by thchand or forced down by percussion a die of the character to be formed, which is fixed on the end of each bar, will strike the face of the type-metal and form the desired impression thereon, and in arranging this strip of type-metal so that each or every die will strike it exactly perpendicular to its face; also,

in arranging upon this frame, and radial from the center thereof, a peculiar-shaped knife for spacing out each line after the impressions are made by the dies, described as follows A B are two-concentric semicircular strips, which constitute the frame for supporting the mechanism hereinafter described. These are mounted upon a table, 0, which keeps them rigidly fixed in position.

D are radial rods, which are fitted in slots or grooves around the strips A B, and have their bearin gs therein. These rods l) number the various characters which are neccssaryto be formed upon the metal. platein printing, as

hereinafter described. These characters are dies formed upon the end .of each rod-for instance, the letters of the alphabet-and made of hard metal. They may be permanently fixed to the rods, or may be attached to them k so as to be removed and others replaced in their stead, so as to either change the character or insert a new letter when the old one has worn out.. e

E E are T-shaped pieces, which are dovetailed in strips A B, and made so as to be raised or depressed in the slots in which they are placed. These serve as guides for the rods D, and also serve to regulate the motion of the rods, so as to obtain the greatest accuracy in their movement. The central vertical shaft,F,"1s for spacing out each line, and isprovided with two wedge-shaped knives, a b, at

its lower.e'nd,.the outer edges of which make a vertical cut in the metal"and separate the words into equal spaces These bars D I) and F all return to their positions, after having been pressed down upon the metal in stamping the plates, by helical springs G, which are severally attached to the bars and the outer semicircular plate, -A.

' H is a strip of metal just the size of a line of type, the upper part of which is grooved so as to admit the type-metal-I, on which the letters are stamped. The strip H forms a bed for the type-metal and rests between two springfingers, d, which are pivoted at the common center, X, to two standards, J, fixed to a. piece, K, extending across the table 0. The strip of type-metal which is to receive the impressions being thus supported is to be fed through the fingers d, while the dies are made to strike it on the left side of the pivot X, the feeding beingaccomplis'hed as fast as the letters are struck by any suitable device found convenient, the dies striking the metal exactly perpendicular to itssurface.

L is a finger piece or key, which, being touched, pushes out the rod M, the top end of which is met by projections on the periphery of a revolving cylinder, (not shown,) and this brings the bars, and with them their dies, down upon the metal I and forms the impression. By relieving the finger L the bar D is instantly returned to its original position by spring G,

and so with each bar in the series.

The machinery for operating the bars may acters upon the face of the typemetal, subbe variously constructed, and therefore I do stantially'in the manner and for the purprhses not lay claim to any special arrangement. herein setforth. j

\Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure 2. Arranging upon the end of bar F kn. .es by Letters Patent, isa I), for the purposes herein specified.

1. Thear rangementot'stamping-barsll upon D. B. RAY. A B, when provided with the characters to be printed or stereoty 'led, so that they Willa-l1 work to a common center and imprint the char- Vitnesses:

JAMES C. MCNULTY, HENRY U. PARK. 

